Description
Delight in these Mini Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bites, a perfect bite-sized treat with a tender crumb and a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. These easy-to-make donuts are baked to golden perfection and coated with melted butter and a fragrant cinnamon sugar mix for a deliciously light and flavorful snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For The Mini Baked Donuts
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- â…“ cup vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk (whole milk recommended)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 375°F (190°C) to ensure even baking.
- Make the Donut Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, egg, vegetable oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gently whisk in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep the donuts tender.
- Prepare Muffin Pans: Spray two mini muffin pans (36 wells total) with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Scoop the Batter: Use approximately 1 ½ tablespoons of batter per muffin cup, filling each well evenly.
- Bake the Donuts: Place both pans on the oven’s center rack and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the donuts have risen and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to maintain softness.
- Melt Butter: While the donuts bake, melt the salted butter in a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Mix: Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a large zip-top bag; seal and shake well to mix thoroughly.
- Cool Donuts: Once baked, allow the donuts to cool slightly for easier handling and coating.
- Coat Donuts in Butter: Dip each donut gently into the melted butter, completely coating it but shaking off excess to keep the coating light.
- Coat Donuts in Cinnamon Sugar: Place about 6 buttered donuts at a time into the zip-top bag and shake gently until evenly coated with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the coated donuts from the bag, tap off any extra cinnamon sugar, and repeat with remaining donuts. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter; a few lumps are okay to keep the donuts tender.
- Use non-stick spray or grease the muffin pans well to prevent donuts from sticking.
- For a lighter coating, wipe excess butter off each donut before tossing in cinnamon sugar.
- These donuts are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
- Substitute milk with a dairy-free alternative if desired, but results may vary slightly.
